Perhaps now more than ever, businesses rely heavily on social media as not only a means to advertise and gain visibility, but also to communicate with their clients. Hidden the shadow of Facebook and YouTube for a period of time, Twitter has exploded into the social media scene in only few short years, establishing itself as a prominent entity within the circle of social media big shots. Twitter is a FREE (and vital) tool for your business. So, what are you waiting for? Gain the visibility your business deserves with five easy steps.

1. Connect with fellow local businesses

So, you’ve signed up for twitter and your feed is empty and your friend list in blank. No what? Simple: search local businesses in your area and follow them. Search small businesses in your city, surrounding cities, and follow, follow, follow. Most of them will follow you back, and you’ve made automatic local connections. It’s a start!

2. Connect with friends, family, and friends of friends

Twitter is a numbers game. The more people you follow, the more you put your business out in the Twitter-verse. Don’t be afraid to friend your friend’s uncle Bob just because of that mishap at the family reunion five years ago. Follow anyone and everyone, as long as they’re reputable.

Content generation is critical. Great content can range from personal statements, promotions, offers, articles, or videos. Make sure your content is well-thought out, of quality, and frequently posted. Google loves raw content, so don’t be afraid to post as much as possible.

4. Communicate with followers

Be sure to communicate with followers frequently. Followers are future or current clientele, so be sure to answer questions, provide feedback, or accommodate their needs. Clients will respond to this kind of treatment positively—and it’ll be visible to their followers, too.

5. Don’t give up!

Just as with everything else in life, attaining visibility for your business takes time. Stick with it, and don’t get discouraged. You may start with only 5 followers in the beginning, but reaching followers in the triple digits is somewhat unrealistic in your first few months starting out. Give it time—you’ll have hundreds soon!